1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to storage devices and, more specifically, to cutlery and eating utensil storage devices. Storage devices typical in this field are generally adapted for drawer, wall, inside cabinet, overhead or countertop installation and usage. While each of these areas may be somewhat suitable for such installations they are all less than optimum locations for cutlery and eating utensil storage. Drawers must be opened and closed each time to access utensils. Leaving a drawer open for any length of time creates an obstacle and a traffic hazard in moving about the kitchen work area. Likewise, cabinet doors must be opened and closed or left open to create another obstacle. Wall space for utensils is usually not in a convenient place and may be awkward to use requiring significant reaching over deep countertops. Overhead installations have similar drawbacks requiring repeated and excessive reaching motion, which can be annoying and tiring. The present invention overcomes these obstacles by providing an eating utensil and cutlery storage rack that installs under a cabinet, a good location for constant usage. It can be mounted to the left, to the right or directly over the sink. There are several other advantages. Stowing the rack in the undercabinet recess keeps it out of the way as well as out of sight but still in a place that requires a minimum of movement or effort to access. The rack is secured in stowed position by a snap in lock that is pulled to release and is suspended from swing down hinges installed under the cabinet. This swing down feature offers an additional advantage, i.e.; even when it is deployed it does not generally present an obstacle to the work area and can be kept open for continual use with little adverse effects. If it should occasionally present an obstacle it can be easily stowed by simply pushing it up which automatically locks it in place under the cabinet. This action requires very little effort or actual physical motion. The present invention therefore provides not only a novel and elegant solution to one problem of kitchen storage but represents a significant improvement in the overall working and living environment of one of the most important rooms in the home.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are other storage devices designed for the kitchen work area. Typical of these is U.S. Pat. No. 1,701,062 issued to C. W. Burnham on Feb. 5, 1929.
Another patent was issued to Erik P. Thomas on Dec. 25, 1990 as U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,610. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 4,511,040 was issued to John Tolentino on Apr. 16, 1985 and still yet another was issued on Oct. 28, 1975 to Norman Graham, Jr., as U.S. Pat. No. 3,915,213.